Latest news with #Ousmane
Newsweek
21 hours ago
- General
- Newsweek
Animal So Rare It's Called a 'Ghost' Caught on Cam for First Time in Years
Based on facts, either observed and verified firsthand by the reporter, or reported and verified from knowledgeable sources. Newsweek AI is in beta. Translations may contain inaccuracies—please refer to the original content. Niokolo-Koba National Park (PNNK) in Senegal has long been a haven for some of West Africa's most-elusive wildlife. Yet among them, one creature has remained almost mythical—an elephant so rarely seen that it has earned the name "ghost elephant." Now, for the first time in half-a-decade, a camera trap has captured video footage of the solitary giant, offering a haunting glimpse into the park's dwindling population of African elephants. New footage captured by wildcat conservation organization Panthera, in collaboration with Senegal's National Parks Directorate (DPN), revealed the moment a male elephant called Ousmane moved through the darkness. Named after Ousmane Sarr, a veteran park ranger who dedicated his life to protecting Niokolo-Koba's endangered species, the elephant steps silently into view in the black-and-white footage. His large frame glows pale under the night-vision lens. The African forest elephant is smaller and differs slightly to the Savanna elephant. Native to humid tropical forests in West Africa and the Congo Basin, it is the smallest of the three living elephant species, reaching a shoulder height of 7 feet, 9 inches. The term "ghost elephant" is often used to describe the isolated populations in areas like Senegal. Ousmane the elephant was last spotted in January 2019, and is the first to be photographed since 2020. He is considered one of just five to 10 elephants remaining in the park—an alarming number considering the area was home to approximately 450 elephants in the late 1970s. Today, the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) Red List of Threatened Species places the African forest elephant as critically endangered and decreasing in population. A picture from footage of the "ghost elephant" captured for the first time in five years. A picture from footage of the "ghost elephant" captured for the first time in five years. Panthera & Senegal's National Parks Directorate DPN Hope for the Elephants Still, there is some hope for the solitary elephants, as the sighting sparked discussions on what can be done to protect the creature for the future, including potential relocation strategies to restore a breeding elephant population. Niokolo-Koba's wildlife has shown resilience before. The park's critically endangered West African lion population has more than doubled since 2011, following persistent anti-poaching efforts and scientific monitoring led by conservation experts Panthera and the DPN. This success recently prompted UNESCO to remove Niokolo-Koba from the List of World Heritage Sites in Danger, reflecting conservation gains—including protections for the region's largest-remaining leopard population. Ousmane is not the only recent rediscovery in the park either. Just a few months ago, another camera trap captured an endangered giant pangolin, marking the first documented sighting of the species in Niokolo-Koba in 24 years. Newsweek reached out to Philipp Henschel and Chele Martinez Marti from the Panthera organization via email for comment.
Morocco World
01-05-2025
- Health
- Morocco World
Young Footballer Dies After Cardiac Arrest During Match
French club AS Jeunesse Aubervilliers has confirmed the death of 14-year-old Senegalese player Ousmane Diaby, who suffered a cardiac arrest during a youth match in Auxerre last weekend. Diaby collapsed on the pitch and was airlifted to a hospital in Dijon. Despite days of treatment, he passed away on Wednesday morning. 'It is with great sadness that we announce the passing of our dear Ousmane Diaby,' the club said in a statement. 'After several days of fighting, Ousmane took his last breath this Wednesday.' The club has launched a fundraiser to help cover funeral and repatriation costs. By midday, nearly €10,000 had already been raised. 'Ousmane had a huge heart and was always ready to help,' the club added. 'He supported his mother daily, helped coach the younger teams, and always had a smile. He will never be forgotten.' Philippe Diallo, president of the French Football Federation, shared his condolences with the family and the club. Sudden cardiac death in sport Sudden cardiac death (SCD) among athletes remains a rare but serious concern in the world of sport. According to studies, SCD affects approximately 1 in every 40,000 to 80,000 athletes each year. The risk varies by sport and level of competition, with male NCAA Division I basketball players facing a higher estimated rate of 1 in 3,000 annually. In football, a FIFA-linked study recorded 617 cases of sudden cardiac arrest or unexplained death during or shortly after matches between 2014 and 2018. Many of these incidents were linked to undiagnosed heart conditions, most commonly coronary heart disease. Among athletes under 35, causes of SCD often include hypertrophic cardiomyopathy, commotio cordis, and congenital heart defects. For those over 35, the leading cause is typically coronary artery disease. Medical experts continue to stress the need for thorough cardiac screening and emergency plans during training and matches to reduce the risks of sudden cardiac events in sport. Tags: Cardiac arrestFranceHeart Attack
Reuters
14-02-2025
- Sport
- Reuters
After 2OT win, No. 12 Texas Tech out to sweep Oklahoma State
February 13 - No. 12 Texas Tech will look to build on a thrilling win as it seeks a season sweep against Oklahoma State on Saturday afternoon in a Big 12 Conference game in Stillwater, Okla. The Red Raiders (19-5, 10-3 Big 12) hit the road after a wild 111-106 double-overtime home win over Arizona State on Wednesday. JT Toppin scored a career-high 41 points, pulled down a game-high 15 rebounds and secured a steal with 33 seconds remaining in the second overtime to lead Texas Tech. "(Arizona State is) smaller, so just how do you take advantage of it?" Red Raiders coach Grant McCasland said. "We encouraged our team going into the game -- let's just not shoot any shots going away from the rim. And that's where JT got going. I just thought he was putting his feet in the paint and scoring at the basket." The back-and-forth thriller included 18 lead changes and 14 ties. Texas Tech shot 57.4 percent from the field as Darrion Williams finished with 27 points, Chance McMillian scored 14, Kerwin Walton added 13 and Christian Anderson had 10. The 111 points were the most by Texas Tech in a Big 12 game. "We didn't sign up for easy -- we love it this way," McCasland added. "This is the way we want it to be. I mean, let's play against a team that makes all kind of crazy shots and let's see what kind of grit we have to win. If you don't enjoy that then you're playing in the wrong league." The Red Raiders have won eight of their past nine games, with the outlier an 82-73 loss at then-No. 20 Arizona on Feb. 8. Part of Texas Tech's seven-game winning streak before that setback was a gritty 64-54 home victory over Oklahoma State. The Cowboys (12-12, 4-9) will try to pick up the pieces after a last-second, 73-72 loss at TCU on Wednesday. The Horned Frogs' Vasean Allette hit a desperation 3-pointer at the buzzer to send Oklahoma State to its second loss in the past three games and fifth in its past seven outings. Bryce Thompson led Oklahoma State with 17 points while Abou Ousmane added 15. The Cowboys were on top just once after they forced a turnover and got a dunk by Ousmane with 18 seconds left but could not hold off TCU. Oklahoma State missed three of its four free throws over the final 33 seconds. Ousmane continues to impress in a bigger role because of the inconsistency of the Cowboys' other big men, Pat Suemnick and Andrija Vukovic. "They expected to fill larger roles and they want larger roles," Oklahoma State coach Steve Lutz told The Oklahoman. "But it's a production-based business at this point, and Abou has produced. If you're gonna get up and down the court at that pace, if you're gonna guard ball screens and hedge them and be up there, that's a lot of load on a big guy."
Yahoo
11-02-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
Hometown Hero – Ousmane Kourouma, Rhode Island College
PROVIDENCE, RI (WPRI) — This week's Cardi's Furniture & Mattresses Hometown Sports Hero is Ousmane Kourouma. The Rhode Island College forward is leading the Little East Conference in Rebounding, with 15.5 a game, and is fifth in scoring at 18.6 points per game. A reigning 1st team All League pick, the Woonsocket native has passed 1,300 points and 1,300 rebounds in his career. 'I couldn't ask for a better gift as a coach, getting here a year ago,' said RIC Head Coach Sam Ferry. 'Not only is he dominant in the LEC, but he epitomizes everything we're about and that starts with being selfless. And he sets the tone for the whole team.' Basketball wasn't his first choice, but he found the sport thanks to his younger brother Abdoulaye and his Father. 'I didn't really like basketball when I was little,' Kourouma said. 'I wanted to be a Track star. Actually, my brother he brought home the YMCA paperwork when I was 8. He showed my Dad, and my Dad forced me to play Basketball. And I just loved it ever since. I just like the people, the coaches, the teammates and the new people you meet.' Ousmane is hoping his basketball journey doesn't end at Rhode Island College. He's hoping to carry his success to a professional league overseas. But whatever the future holds, he's planning to savor his final few weeks with the Anchormen, as they look to make a push for their 1st NCAA Tournament bid in 11 seasons. 'I think Ousmane definitely has a chance to play Basketball after Rhode Island College,' Ferry said. 'And I'm certainly going to do everything I can to help him. I think he'll get his foot in the door and then people are going to realize what a professional he is and what a good teammate he is, and I can see him parlaying that into years overseas.' 'Yes, for sure, for sure,' Kourouma said. 'And I can't do this without my teammates. You know my teammates and my coaches, without them, there's no Ous for real.' If you have a Hometown Sports Hero you'd like to nominate, email sports@ Close Thanks for signing up! Watch for us in your inbox. Subscribe Now Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Reuters
06-02-2025
- Sport
- Reuters
PSG a better team in post-Mbappe era, says Luis Enrique
Feb 6 (Reuters) - Runaway Ligue 1 leaders Paris St Germain have been better in attack and defence since striker Kylian Mbappe moved to Real Madrid last year, coach Luis Enrique said before they host third-placed AS Monaco on Friday. Mbappe left to join the Spanish giants in June after seven years in Paris, having scored more than 170 goals in Ligue 1 from more than 200 appearances for the club. "I was very brave last season when I told you that we would have a better team in attack and defence," Luis Enrique told a press conference on Thursday. "I still think that we are better (in both), the numbers are there to say it. The players took it as a challenge. Of course we would have liked to keep Kylian, because everyone loved him, but the team is responding ... at a spectacular level. "I told you that rather than having a player who scores 40 goals, I wanted players who all score a lot. Faced with a situation that we did not want but which happened, the maturity of the team is very good." Reigning champions PSG are the only unbeaten team in Europe's top five leagues after 20 games, sitting 10 points clear of Olympique de Marseille and 13 above Monaco. They beat Monaco 4-2 in the reverse fixture in December before a last-gasp Ousmane Dembele goal helped them to a 1-0 win in the French Super Cup in January. Luis Enrique said he wanted the 27-year-old Dembele, who also scored twice at Monaco, to become the team's leader. "Right now, he is in an absolutely spectacular series. His statistics have exploded compared to the beginning of his career, that's obvious," Luis Enrique said. "He has to be important for the team, not just scoring goals. To score a goal, someone has to give you an assist. What we are looking for with Ousmane is ... for him to continue to be a determining player, with assists and defensive efforts. "Becoming a leader of the team is not just about scoring goals. Being a leader is something different. I believe that Ousmane, very clearly, can become one of the leaders of the team." Luis Enrique added that he expected a complicated clash against eight-times champions Monaco. "Monaco have made a lot of progress without the ball. They are very intense," he said. "They are a well-constructed team that occupies the pitch well ... They can cause lots of trouble. We saw that in the last two games. They are a direct competitor in Ligue 1 and it will be another difficult match tomorrow."
